poindexter



(No Model.)

B E. POINDEXTER.

HANDLE FOR TOBACCO KNIVES.

No. 336,429. Patented Feb.- 16. 1886-.

W 1 TN ESSEIS I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT- E. POINDEXTER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

HANDLE FOR TOBACCO-KNIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,4:29, dated February 16, 1886. Application filed September 18, 1885. Serial No. 177,509. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. Pornnnx rnn, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Handles for Tobacco-Knives, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in an improved construction of handles for tobacco-knives, particularly in the formation of a clamp on the lower end of said handle, whereby the blade is more easily, rigidly, and cheaply secured thereto, and a cheaper and more efficient knife produced than those heretofore in use, as will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Referring to theaccompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tobaccoknife complete, the blade and handle of which are secured together by my invention; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the lower part of the handle separate, the two parts of the clamp being detached; Fig. 3, a central vertical section through the lower portion of Fig. 1 on the dotted line 3 3; Fig. 4, a cross-section of the same on the dotted line 4 4; and Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 3, except that one of the rivets is shown as extending only part of the way through the clamp.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the blade of the knife, and B the handle. The blade A is of any ordinary or de' sired construct-ion suitable for the purpose, and therefore needs no special description. The handle B is of a common construction, except at its lower end, which is provided with the clamp for securing the blade thereto. Said clamp is formed in two parts, B and B, one of which, B, is cast integral with the main part of the handle, and the other of which, B", is formed separate, as shown. Said part B is formed with a shoulder, 12, at its upper end, against which the upper end of the blade bears, other shoulders, I), being formed at the lower end of the main part of the handle, against which corresponding formations of the upper end of said part B fit. Rivets if, b, and b are also formed on the face of the said part B,

for securing the parts together, said part B having corresponding holes therein to receive them. The parts are both preferably provided with a central longitudinal ridge on their backs, which are formed thick at their top ends and taper to an edge at their lower ends. They are also formed tapering in width from top to bottom, thereby bringing the lower ends of the parts to apoint, as shown. Thus, when the knife is in use, this point will enter the pith of the stalk and guide it in its downward course, and its wedge formation will operate to spread the parts of said stalk apart and hold them away from contact with the hand of the operator. As shown, one of the rivets, If, is formed on thelower end of t-hehandle proper, just above the top of the wedge-shaped ridge, and engages withahole formed in an extended neck on the upper end of the part B. Being thus behind the end of the ridge, it will not come in contact with the stalk, and consequently does not require to be as smoothly finished as the others, and thus lessens the work of fitting.

In Fig. 5 I show the central hole in the part B extending through only a portion of its thickness, and the rivet b correspondingly short. By this construction only one rivet has to be finished off, and the work is thereby considerably lessened, although the fastening is of course less secure than that shown in the principal figures. By this construction, as will be readily seen, the work of fitting is greatly lessened, and the cost of the knife correspondingly diminished, and a knife is also provided with no ragged edges, screw-heads, or boltheads to catch the fiber of the stalks, the adjacent faces of the parts of the clamp being preferably formed somewhat concave, thereby insuring that the edges of said parts will be drawn down tightly against the faces of the blade.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in atobacco-knife, of the blade A and handle B, said handle B being provided with a clamp on its lower end, consisting of the part B, formed integrally therewith and having rivets formed thereon, and the part B, provided with holes adapted to receive said rivets, said blade being interposed between said parts, whereby said blade and handle are rigidly secured together, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the blade A, handle B, having the part B formed thereon, said part B provided with a shoulder for the end of said blade to bear against, and rivets b b b, and the part 13 having holesto receive said rivets, said blade being mounted on the rivets between said parts, whereby said handle is secured thereto, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a tobacco-knife, of the blade and handle, said handle being provided with aclanip', apart of which is formed to fitto each side of said blade, each of which parts is formed tapering from the top to a pointed ROBERT E. POINDEXTER.

In presence of E. W. BRADFORD, CHARLES L. THURBER. 

